How a Dissapointing Baseball Player Inspired a Japanese Art Movement - The Story of Gary Thomasson

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Every offseason, like clockwork, something happens. A player of some standing in MLB signs in Japan, and people say they’re going to dunk.
Without fail. The player could be a AAA stud, the player could be a guy with a few MLB seasons under his belt. 8 times out of 10, these people are wrong. Especially in recent years.
Most of the time, players like that are forgotten. Consinged to the history books and remembered only by those who watched them, or found them while digging through a database.
But some, some gain a legacy in Japanese slang. One such player is Gary Thomasson
Outro Song:
• 超芸術トマソン/モルグモルマルモ Hype...
Morg Molmalmo's Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/5zCq3...
Patreon: / gaijinbaseball
Twitter: x.com/GaijinBaseball

Пікірлер: 75

  • @GaijinBaseball
    @GaijinBaseball12 күн бұрын

    Chogeijutsu Thomasson - Morg Molmalmo kzread.info/dash/bejne/pYx9lMyPqbydmdo.htmlsi=lFhV9EW6ToPEm2pw MISTAKES: 1. I know I pronounced Vida Blue's name wrong, you can stop commenting it now. I know who he is, I had just never heard his name spoken before. It's a 2 second bit it doesn't "ruin the whole video". If it bothers you that much I suggest you rethink your priorities in life. Longtime watchers of the channel know I made the same mistake with Bill Veeck. 2. Reggie Smith's slugging was .573

  • @ancestralFromWesnoth

    @ancestralFromWesnoth

    9 күн бұрын

    All good, my dude! The video is still awesome!

  • @unclesox
    @unclesox12 күн бұрын

    Found this video through your twitter account which I follow. What drew me to watch this was that I have a co-worker who says Gary Thomasson is his cousin, although he has never met him. My co-worker friend, who doesn't follow much baseball, only knew that Thomasson played for the SF Giants. He was unaware that he had won a World Series with the Yankees until I told him. So he was quite surprised when I added that his cousin also played in Japan. He'll probably get a kick when I tell him about this video. Interesting stuff. Keep up the great work. I've been following NPB for about 4-5 years now. I know very little about its history and am eager to learn.

  • @SIGuy7480
    @SIGuy748012 күн бұрын

    love learning about obscure players

  • @nickselk6250
    @nickselk62503 күн бұрын

    The fact you have less than 10k subs is mind boggling. You deserve many, many more. I wish I had found this channel sooner, but better late than never.

  • @foxyfoxington2651
    @foxyfoxington265112 күн бұрын

    He may have been average... But name another baseball player that has an art movement named after him.

  • @kochan1147
    @kochan114711 күн бұрын

    Japanese Baseball culture has a huge influence of Japanese culture/net culture like Mike Greenwells "神のお告げ" or the "Revelation from God", a slang like "ンゴ" which you use when someone/something makes a grave mistake coming from Domingo Guzman, or "クレメンス" and "マダックス" coming from Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux which i dont even think people who use it know that it originates from 2chan baseball threads, its fascinating.

  • @stevemeters3090

    @stevemeters3090

    18 сағат бұрын

    I'm sorry, could you explain that again. I think I didn't quite grasp it.

  • @josebourdeth8919

    @josebourdeth8919

    Сағат бұрын

    @@stevemeters3090 yeah what did they said about Roger Clemens or Gregg Maddux?

  • @Cletus_the_Elder
    @Cletus_the_Elder9 күн бұрын

    This is a deep, deeeep cut. Wonderful storytelling.

  • @Sirin2099
    @Sirin20992 күн бұрын

    Fascinating how sports and culture intercede.

  • @tnteves
    @tnteves12 күн бұрын

    Hey man I love your work, keep it up

  • @paulmcmillen5925
    @paulmcmillen59259 күн бұрын

    I'm very audio and I couldn't help notice the background music. As you were giving the chronological events during Thomasson baseball career I was distracted by the incongruent rock music (particularly the vocals) and I almost exited. However, as I was listening to the part about the photo artist Genpei, I didn't immediately notice that the background music had changed. I was caught up in this discussion of these photos that were oddly humourous and at the same time "sentimental". For a minute or so I hadn''t realized that the background music had turned into a spacey instrumental and I thought, "Oh, this is cool". Altogether, the entire art segment was very engaging. Well done, sir!

  • @juanjo19438686
    @juanjo1943868611 күн бұрын

    Wow you are very clever! Kudos

  • @liammcooper
    @liammcooper6 күн бұрын

    I knew about the counterfeit money, but I had no idea Akasegawa's connection with baseball. Fascinating.

  • @JurassicParker13
    @JurassicParker1312 күн бұрын

    Really great video

  • @echos-myron
    @echos-myron9 күн бұрын

    The channel name alone gets a sub; 100% in my wheelhouse. ❤

  • @tommayrant2279
    @tommayrant227911 күн бұрын

    Amazingly sublime video!

  • @canadaclaret
    @canadaclaret10 күн бұрын

    Vida Blue rhymes with side a glue.

  • @ancestralFromWesnoth

    @ancestralFromWesnoth

    10 күн бұрын

    Yep. VYE-da Blue. And, I would assume “Thomasson” is just like “Thomas-son” (TOM-as-son) as opposed to what you’re saying, “TOME-ahs-sun”. (But I do get it, as that’s how the Japanese would pronounce his name.)

  • @GaijinBaseball

    @GaijinBaseball

    9 күн бұрын

    I know. I acknowledged it in the pinned comment. Of course I know who he is, I'd never heard his name spoken before. I wish people would actually read it.

  • @canadaclaret

    @canadaclaret

    9 күн бұрын

    @@GaijinBaseball your video is very well done. That little mistake is not really important. I know a woman called Vida who spells her name the same as Blue but pronounces it the way you did. I am not really a baseball fan, more interested in art, but as a kid I liked Blue and some other guys like Roberto Clemente and Joe Morgan... Rollie Fingers, Catfish Hunter...

  • @wesleykelly7226
    @wesleykelly72269 күн бұрын

    Heyy I didn’t know you’re Canadian! Love for your channel from Ottawa! 🇨🇦

  • @fredbobberts5753
    @fredbobberts575315 сағат бұрын

    Warren Cromartie- was a player and learned the language Randy Bass (Bass-O). Threatened Oh’s season record and helped Hanshin win in 1985. Robert Rose- second baseman for last great Yokohama team. Felix Milan - good player for 70s whales. And there are many modern good players.

  • @snellbeast_jasonsnell
    @snellbeast_jasonsnellКүн бұрын

    Amazing!!! Thank you!

  • @HKim0072
    @HKim00728 күн бұрын

    Kinda wish Thomasson would embrace it and hook up with the photographer.

  • @GaijinBaseball

    @GaijinBaseball

    6 күн бұрын

    Sadly Genpei passed away back in 2014

  • @Bongo_Fury
    @Bongo_Fury16 сағат бұрын

    Thomasson-san

  • @MrGuano11
    @MrGuano113 күн бұрын

    Brutal

  • @softballhumanoid
    @softballhumanoid12 күн бұрын

    This. Is. Fantastic. ❤❤❤

  • @derekli6469
    @derekli646912 күн бұрын

    Hey I'm from Toronto too! Keep up the good work!

  • @jeffreysams3348
    @jeffreysams33489 күн бұрын

    This is awesome!

  • @TheKazzerscout
    @TheKazzerscout4 күн бұрын

    Yakuza music, good choice.

  • @Vntagonist
    @Vntagonist2 күн бұрын

    so glad i got recommended this video. ive been wanting to learn more about japanese baseball after becoming a fan of shunsuke watanabe, but found it difficult to learn much about how the npb culture is and how it compares to mlb. im very surprised that your channel hasnt blown up yet, as your videos are very engaging in how they are structured, and your commentary is very well spoken and easy to follow. thank you for these high quality in depth videos, i cannot wait to binge the rest of your vids 🙏 go marines 😛

  • @stevemeters3090
    @stevemeters309018 сағат бұрын

    Is this channel related to Foolish Baseball?

  • @iammovingtokorea
    @iammovingtokorea4 күн бұрын

    Great story. Great channel. ⚾️

  • @Whomever209
    @Whomever20912 күн бұрын

    Neat video. Why do Brazilian players often end up with the Yakult Swallows?

  • @Vyc74

    @Vyc74

    6 күн бұрын

    It's a neat story acually, the Swallows had a partnership with the CBBS (Brazilian Baseball and Softball Confederation) in the 80's. The Swallows wanted a warm place to practice during the offseason and the brazilian national squad needed a training center, so they got together and made it happen. Just google "Ibiúna CT Yakult", Ibiúna being the city where it was built, about a couple hours drive from São Paulo and CT short for Training Center in portuguese

  • @tedharrington5432
    @tedharrington543212 күн бұрын

    kzread.info/dash/bejne/mn-u3JpxqbWscdY.html Is that a song dedicated to Gary Thomasson

  • @weirddingus4620
    @weirddingus46207 күн бұрын

    That is fucking brutal lmao

  • @NextLevelNugz
    @NextLevelNugz7 күн бұрын

    Vyda not veeda . You must be young.good job.

  • @45scienceproject
    @45scienceproject9 сағат бұрын

    I met David MacKinnon playing minor league ball in the Angels system 2 or three years ago or so. The guy mashes and is an awesome dude. Too bad that he keeps getting fucked around by ballclubs on both sides of the pond. Anyway, I fucking love David MacKinnon.

  • @GaijinBaseball

    @GaijinBaseball

    3 сағат бұрын

    Mac's a great dude, interacted with him a lot on Twitter last year. Sucks that he got let go, but I'm enjoying watching the reckoning that's coming for Lions GM Hisanobu Watanabe. The Lions are literally having the worst season in franchise history atm

  • @redroninx289
    @redroninx2899 күн бұрын

    Is that music from Yakuza 0 I hear?

  • @GaijinBaseball

    @GaijinBaseball

    9 күн бұрын

    Yep, I use it a lot whenever I'm covering the 70s and 80s

  • @jritechnology
    @jritechnology6 күн бұрын

    New York City and small town America has TONS of Thomasson style art just ripe for the plucking....especially in the 1980's with tech movement going faster and faster.

  • @1977TA
    @1977TA5 күн бұрын

    The average person simply does not grasp how enormously difficult it is to not only become an MLB player but become one who rises above obscurity. Thousands of promising players have come and gone, their names likely lost to history. You could make an entire video series about forgotten prospects going as far back as the 1960s. There are young guys playing right now who will never step foot on an MLB field. There are others who get called up but linger on the 40-man roster seeing little if any action before they get sent back down to the minors. Speaking of the 40-man roster, most people think a minor league player getting called up to a big-league parent team means that player has made it. Nothing could be further from the truth. The call up lands the player on the 40-man roster. If there are no available spots a current player on the 40-man roster must be designated for assignment to make room for the new player. Designated for assignment players are basically on their way back to the minors. Once a player makes the 40-man roster her will have 3 years to prove he is good enough for a starting job. A fourth year may be granted under certain circumstances.

  • @ldr4690
    @ldr46906 күн бұрын

    Good video, but is there an explanation for why the DAMN PICTURE KEEPS FLOATING AROUND?

  • @GaijinBaseball

    @GaijinBaseball

    6 күн бұрын

    My ADHD. If anything's standing still I don't like the way it looks, it feels too stilted. I find It also keeps the viewer focused on the image because our eyes are naturally drawn to movement. I've been doing it for years and I think you might be the first to complain about it. Then again this video has blown up by my standards.

  • @soccch
    @soccch5 күн бұрын

    7:05 Reggie Smith's stats don't look quite right to me. How does he have an OBP of .379 and a SLG of .409, but his OPS is .952?

  • @GaijinBaseball

    @GaijinBaseball

    5 күн бұрын

    His slugging was .573, my bad

  • @anarken1598
    @anarken15988 күн бұрын

    8:46 nah wait hold up that sounds interesting

  • @heathmcrigsby
    @heathmcrigsby4 күн бұрын

    Jack Elliot was my all time favorite gaijin ball player

  • @tradcath2976
    @tradcath29764 күн бұрын

    Lol! It's not pronounced "VEE-da" Blue. It's "VYE-da" (like "eye") Blue.

  • @ThatC1official
    @ThatC1official12 күн бұрын

    I want to learn about Japanese minor league system but can't find a good video

  • @GaijinBaseball

    @GaijinBaseball

    12 күн бұрын

    NPB Minor League (aka "ni-gun" lit. "Second Army") teams use the same uniforms as the Major League teams. Instead of the Central League and Pacfic League, they are split into the Eastern and Western League. They play 80 games a year instead of 143. Some teams have a "san-gun" (third army) team that usually plays against indyball clubs.

  • @ThatC1official

    @ThatC1official

    12 күн бұрын

    @GaijinBaseball thank you, I only known about teams wearing their parent club jerseys but didn't know anything else and didn't know about indy teams outside of shikoku Island plus league

  • @bookaufman9643
    @bookaufman964317 сағат бұрын

    That's not how you say Vida Blue. The " I" is pronounced like the word eye.😊

  • @GaijinBaseball

    @GaijinBaseball

    3 сағат бұрын

    I know. I acknowleged the fact that I got it wrong in the pinned comment.

  • @bookaufman9643

    @bookaufman9643

    2 сағат бұрын

    @@GaijinBaseball sorry but I didn't see it. Light a blue was an amazing picture. For a while in the early seventies he was considered almost unhittable. He was also a pretty weird dude.

  • @nightguardian812
    @nightguardian8128 күн бұрын

    Wow 🤣🤣🤣🤣

  • @reggiebanks7627
    @reggiebanks762718 сағат бұрын

    All these people complaining about Vida name. His name is the Spanish word for life. Because he said his name was pronounced in some hi key way doesn’t mean it’s right. VeeDa is the right way. Just like Matt Diaz. My man said pronounce Diaz as Die Az. GTFO here bro. diaz is Spanish for days. SMH

  • @texasPITBULL54

    @texasPITBULL54

    11 сағат бұрын

    Getting mad about people telling you how to say their name is sad a name can transcend language kinda like we don’t call people George who are named Jorge just because we are speaking English and vis versa the other way. Get over it.

  • @TheBrainSpecialist

    @TheBrainSpecialist

    3 сағат бұрын

    ​@@texasPITBULL54We used to. Google George Bell. Roberto Clemente was always labelled as "Bob Clemente" during his playing days

  • @88mphs
    @88mphs12 күн бұрын

    Trevor Bauer did well last year

  • @GaijinBaseball

    @GaijinBaseball

    12 күн бұрын

    The first segment was about foreign hitters, not pitchers. That's a whole other thing altogether.

  • @Preeeemo
    @Preeeemo4 күн бұрын

    kzread.info/dash/bejne/f4mlldSbgJPWfZc.htmlsi=xw8iBJqpqNyEHN20&t=529 The large block of text at the timestamp really broke the flow of the video (imo). Nice video otherwise!

  • @scoremat
    @scoremat5 күн бұрын

    Jung Who Lee is a major disappointment. KBA superstar but a 4th OFer with no impact and can't steal bases in MLB. Talk about disappointment

  • @owenmclaughlin8559
    @owenmclaughlin85595 күн бұрын

    Your erroneous use of the word rape in the opening of the video made me not want to watch the rest of it tbh

  • @deadtome44

    @deadtome44

    5 күн бұрын

    He said “rake”, as in to hit at a high level

  • @TheBrainSpecialist

    @TheBrainSpecialist

    5 күн бұрын

    RAKE A colloquial term for hitting well in baseball

  • @andrecastillo5232

    @andrecastillo5232

    4 күн бұрын

    What the hell, dude?

  • @MrJking065

    @MrJking065

    3 күн бұрын

    @owenmclaughlin8559 He said RAKE as in "The baseball player could rake the ball". Verb: To really hit the ball hard, all over the park. When you’re raking, you’re hitting very well.😒😒

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